When Sparks Fly
by FeatheredTenshi
Summary: Howl and Sophie live happily ever after in their fairytale castle. But things aren’t as bright for Calcifer. Find out how he falls in love and the complication of being a demon limits him.When fire meets water.


Hello! Thanks for coming to read this fanfic and I hope you will like it. R & R, Yay!

Disclaimer: I don't own _Howl's Moving castle_, Hayao Miyazaki owns the anime and Dianna Wynne Jones owns the book. I will own one character; the water demon. (Mine, all mine! Just kidding!) Wait! Please don't go… I didn't mean to scare you. : (

Note: Italics is Calcifer's thoughts. And the concept of a heart being a "Heavy burden" was not my idea. And lastly, if you see any mistakes, you can tell me in the review and I'll do my best to fix them.

Thank you!

**Lost in Ominous Eyes**

**When fire meets water**

Howl's castle creaked and moaned as the many sections and quarters clashed to the ground with a thud. Its scrawny legs, which somewhat resemble chickens leg's, laid folded underneath its bulky body. If a machine or a castle could have emotions, this one certainly did, for it's huge front opened in a gapping grin and let out a grumble. This movable dwelling was a one of a kind build. It was magnificent, it was unique, it was powerful. And if something could ever be as defined as marvelously beautiful and hideously ugly at the same time, it would pretty much sum up Howl's Moving Castle.

Inside this beast of metalwork was quite a charming and rustic living space. The furniture and floors were all made out of worn and warped wood. The books on the shelves were old; the pages yellowing and words were fading. The bedrooms were simple and the blankets on the bed were handmade and warm. This castle was home to four beings of the male gender; a wizard, a wizard trainee, a dog and a fire demon. And while this family may seem like an interesting butch, the idea of a clean home seems like a far cry from reality.

Surprisingly the furniture was washed and sanded and the floored where scrubbed. The layer of dust that quickly settled itself on books had been dusted repeatedly. The rooms were clean from clutter and replaced with a vase of flowers and the blankets were tucked into the corners of the beds. This was all due to the lady of the house; Sophie. This charming lady was a housemaid, a grandmother, a friend, a provider of meals, a flower saleslady and lastly and most pointedly, a faithful a wife to her husband, the great wizard Howl. And they were madly and in love. Their love was sprightly, vivacious and true, and if love could be so, magical.

These five people were all living in the same house. Some would leave the castle for short periods of time but here would always be someone remanding. It had been raining for two weeks straight. The rivers were swollen, the grass was stained with sparkling dew and the air smelled like rain-washed earth. But the sky was clear blue and the family was outside bright-and-early to take advantage of the fresh weather.

All that remained in this house was Calcifer; the power and soul that brought the castle to life; he was a fire demon. Most of the time Calcifer was controlling and watching the portholes of space that led the different doors to the castle to different locations. Or he was propelling the castle forward on the wastelands across the grass; smoke bellowing through the chimneys of the castle resembled the sweat of the fire demon (if demons could ever sweat.) And very humiliating to a most powerful demon; Calcifer heated the upstairs bath for the people of the house.

One might get the idea that Calcifer was a prisoner to these mere humans, but this was his choice. He had begun to love Sophie and Howl as a couple and he wanted to spend his days with them. But on this day he was fed-up with controlling the house's power and movement. This was probably due to the nasty weather that had threatened to flood the castle in a river of mud. Weather like that can bring moods down and tempers up. It didn't help that everyone was leaving him in the house all alone,

"See you Cal! Sophie and me are going on a date. My! It's been a long time, eh Sophie?"

Howl said as he held Sophie around the waist with one hand, inching her closer to his side, and the Kingsbury door open with the other.

"Howl, this is most wonderful of you!" said Sophie in a chipper voice.

"Calcifer, take care of the castle when… Ha, ha… Howl, put me down."

She was cut off as Howl swept her off her feet and out the door.

Markl also was heading to the door,

"Calcifer, I'm gonna just take the dog for a walk, be back soon!"

And the boy was out the wasteland door in a flash and Calcifer lay on a log steaming.

"I do all the work and I get left behind!

'Cal, hot water for my bath,' Says Howl.

'Calcifer, bend over for my cooking,' Says Sophie!

'Calcifer, move the castle 4 miles to the east towards the lake,' says Markl.

DO I EVER GET A 'THANKS CALCIFER!' Nooo."

An explosion of flames leapt into the air as his eyes grew wide. He bared his pointed emerald green fire teeth as the closed door. Then he shrunk back down and sulked, his bottom turning a burning blue.

"It was your choice to stay. You could have been a free demon, but you chose to stay." Calcifer said to himself. He knew inside that this was his home and he would never leave his family. Did they love him like Calcifer loved them? Or maybe they were just using him, using his powers for their house. Calcifer had never told Howl or Sophie what he felt. Even though he had spent countless hours listening to Sophie talk to him about her feelings.

_Am I just Sophie's Diary? Am I a mere flame on a log?_

"Well, maybe I will leave the castle for awhile. Clear away all this soot that's clogging my mind."

The demon picked himself up and removed his body from the concrete. The fire demon spun in the air as the tangible weight of the hearth was removed. Calcifer suddenly remembered how light the air was. His memory reflected on the day that Howl was given his heart back and Calcifer felt like a tie that knitted him to another soul was cut. A root that clenched itself to dirt was uprooted. He had felt like a revived flame, a renewed star.

Sitting on logs all day made him feel like he was welded to the hearth and gravity was pulling him into the wood that he devoured.

Calcifer couldn't wait to get outside. With demon power, he slammed the door open like a mighty, invisible, fist. And he zipped out as fast as you could say 'run-away demon.'

"Ahhhh, this is what I'm missing."

He flew straight into the blue sky and dived back down. He flew through the fields skimming the blades of grass, careful not to let the tips catch fire. Small animals hit in their holes as Calcifer fire tail flowed like a blue and white banner behind him. He spun in circles like a pinwheel in the wind or fireworks on a summers evening. The wind brushed past him, threatening to blow him out like candles on a birthday cake, but the demon dodged this way and that, outsmarting the air.

Star lake came into view in the distance. The shores were glittered with silver, cast down by the sun, and the middle was a deep blue. Calcifer would normally stay away from such places, but the sudden rush he was experiencing caused the rash decision.

He flew just above the depth of the blue and looked down at his reflection in the water. He sang to himself,

"Calcifer the demon is hot

That's what the children were taught

They like to talk a lot,

'He's full of power

His flame, they tower'

That's what they say.

And all the little ones cower."

Then, just has Calcifer was throwing his flaming head back laughing at his own song, the river leap up in to the air. The shocked demon shot into the clouds just in a moment of time before he was swallow.

"That could have smothered me out! Was going on?"

And just then a pair of glittering eyes stared up at him. The ominous circles were the most dazzling eyes that Calcifer had ever seen that they just couldn't be human. They swam like watery pools with colors of purple, blue and green. The pupils were a turquoise color and the fire demon could stare back at himself through them. They almost seemed to have a depth, like you could find the bottom if you swam through them long enough. Calcifer seemed to have lost his mind, as he was emerged in the eyes blinking up at him.

And then, and the demon continued to gawk in amazement, a face rose out of the waters surface.

"It's rude to stare, you know."

Calcifer now could see the whole form of this creature. Its' whole shape was like an ongoing and flowing fountain of water. The creature was obviously female as the watery blue hair and dress merged with each other. Her whole body was blue, petite and her shape was curvy. Her arms were long and her fingers were curling at the tips like waves. Her legs couldn't be seen, as she stood mixed with the water and you couldn't tell were the water ended and the she-demon began. She was captivating and enchanting to looking at, as her body shimmered in the sunlight. Droplets continued to roll off her like jewels that were embroidered into her flowing skin.

"Are ya trying to take me on, water demon! 'Cause you don't stand a chance! I'll win any battle, don't you worry!" said Calcifer who was broken from his daze.

"Sure you will, cigar lighter! What were you so happy about anyway? Huh?"

"That's none of your business missy! And who are you calling a cigarette lighter, I shouldn't be talking to a puddle, people might think I'm crazy," said Calcifer, sticking out a rather long and fiery tongue

"Go scare some children! You are already crazy," she said sarcastically crossing her long arms. "Besides, you better have more respect to the spirit of the lake that your piece of metal crap drinks from."

"Go sink in a lake!" retorted Calcifer.

And in a wink blink of an eye, the water demon faded away into the depths. Calcifer stood dangling in the air like a puppet. He looked at his reflection in the water. The fire demons eyes were rather bland and they were like white blots of ink.

_I must look like a fool._

_That rude, rude woman demon! If she had any sense, she'd keep her mouth shut._

_Was I too harsh?_

_Tsk…_ (Calcifer spilt in the air) _she was being rude, not me._

He pondered if what he just saw was real. Could he still sense her presence? He slowly headed back to the castle thinking about what he just saw. Could there be more to Star Lake and the story of the spirit. She seemed troubled, and that trouble him.

"I AM A DEMON, A RUTHLESS AND CLUEL DEMON, I DON'T CARE ABOUT TROUBLES BUT MY OWN!"

_Then why do I feel this way?_

Was there always a water demon living there? Why didn't I sense her there before? Why did she stare at me like that? Why did she let the castle that was run by I fire demon drink her water?

Find out the answers in the next chapter!

Preview thoughts of chapter 2:

If they fall in love, is their devotion fatal to the others existence?

The love of a fire demon and water demon is not meant to cross.

Can they ever hold each other?

Calcifer remembers what it was like when he held Howl's heart.

Now that's it's gone, there is an empty spot that has burned a hole in his depths.

Once you've had a heart, the absence of such a heavy burden is noticeable.

Calcifer is scarred deep down. And the soul of water might be the filler.

Sorry the chapter was kinda long, forgive me please

Tell me if you liked it, please, please, please. I don't mind flames, just PLEASE REVIEW, (oh no, I think she's on her knees)

Reviews make me so happy. They inspire me to explode with more, more, more writing! Of course it you didn't like the chapter, you probably don't care. Haha! Silly me. : ) Enough talking, I'll stop : X.

Bye! Thanks for reading! -- Me happy! (retard! **: o**)


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